Spelling List #5 Words - Test date Friday, October 30

Possess, Necessary, Embarrass, Occasion, Occur, Tomorrow, Vacuum, Exaggerate, Committee, Different, Possible, Accident, Appreciate, Appearance, Beginning

- in addition to words from lists 1-4

All of the words for list #5 feature double letters.

For the week beginning October 19

Reading Classes -
We will be wrapping up our autobiographies (7A - "I Prove Myself A Hunter," 7B/C - "The Noble Experiment") with a quiz on Tuesday. We will then begin reading a personal essay (7A - "Little Things are Big," 7B/C - "Names/Nombres"). We will be discussing the characteristics of an essay and the various purposes for writing.

Writing Classes-
There are NO SPELLING WORDS this week. We are taking a break to catch up with grammar lessons - simple subjects and predicates (including verb phrases). We are also continuing the biography writing assignment by completing an outline and developing a claim.

For the week beginning October 12

Reading-
7A Reading will be completing "I Prove Myself a Hunter." We will also practice predicting (along with the other reading strategies). I expect we will be ready for the quiz by the end of the week.
7B/C Reading - Individually and in small groups, we will be reading and completing "The Noble Experiment." We will practice clarifying (summarizing) through a guided activity.

Writing-
All classes - New spelling words (see below) focus on the "i before e" rule. This is straight-forward spelling, not usage problems as in past lists. Students will be conducting their biography interviews this week, both inside and outside of class. Interviews are due on Friday. Finally, we will be studying simple subjects and simple predicates in grammar. Expect a brief grammar quiz next week.

Spelling list #4 - Thief, Chief, Believe, Retrieve, Achieve, Relief, Shriek, Niece, Perceive, Receive, Neighbor, Weight, Weird, Foreign, Height, Either, Leisure

For the Week Beginning October 5

7A Reading - We will be wrapping up our biography, "Amelia Earhart," with a quiz on Wednesday. We will then begin reading our next nonfictin selection, an autobiography called "I Prove Myself a Hunter." This autobiography recounts the true life of an Eskimo who loses his leg in an accident but must overcome his disability in order to hunt and prove himself to his people.
7B/C Reading - We will also be wrapping up our biography, "Eleanor Roosevelt," with a quiz on Wednesday. We will then begin reading our next nonfictin selection, an excerpt from Jackie Robinson's autobiography, "The Noble Experiment." In this selection, Robinson recounts how Branch Rickey selected him to be the player who would integrate Major League Baseball.

Writing Classes - Students will receive their first major writing assignment, which will be a mini-biography on a classmate. Please read over the requirements and sign the topic/contract (task 1) sheet and return it to school by Thursday, October 8. We will discuss the 6(+1) Traits of Writing and how they will affect the way the writing assignment will be assessed. Finally, we will continue with our grammar lessons, moving onto Simple Subjects and Simple Predicates. This week, students are on Spelling List #3 (see below). The test will be given next Monday, October 12, as there is no school this Friday.

Spelling List #3

Spelling list #3 Words:
Desert, Dessert, Stationary, Stationery, Whose, Who's, Lose, Loose, Advice, Advise, All ready, Already, Lead, Led, Because, Cause, Threw, Through
Test Date: MONDAY, October 12 - There is no school for students this Friday, October 9.

As with previous tests, this spelling test may also include spelling words from previous lists. Spelling require memorization, and true memorization requires repetition. Please help your child to learn and practice both new and old spelling words.